


Tricks and Treats (A Fred Weasley Fanfiction)

by Haven0412



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-20
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-17 03:26:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 20,881
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29586519
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Haven0412/pseuds/Haven0412
Summary: It is a year after the wizarding war ended. Penelope Jaffee finally has her dream of a sweet shop in Diagon Alley. She and her best friend Trista are opening Smiley Pops. Fred Weasley her crush from Hogwarts comes over to say hello and welcome her to the area. Penelope and Fred hit it off as she works hard to open her dream shop. This is their story.I do not own any of the J.K. Rowling characters. I chose not to have Fred die, I cried when I read about it in the seventh book. These are my own thoughts on what happened after the war.Content is for 18+ due to the romantic scenes.
Relationships: Fred Weasley/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 8





	1. 1

**Penelope POV**

I stand inside the shop I bought, checking the damage from the wizarding war. It has been over a year since Harry Potter vanquished Voldemort. I did my part helping muggle-born wizards escape during the reign of terror. Now I am following my dream. I want to open a sweet shop in Diagon Alley. My favorite place when I went to school at Hogwarts was Honeydukes. I spent all my time asking them how they made certain items. Some candies they ordered, some they made, and I would do the same. My specialty is chocolate bark and lollipops. I add a touch of magic to each bark to elicit feelings and memories. The lollipops turn your tongue different colors and give you animal sounds for thirty seconds. 

“What do you think, Penelope?” My realtor Tibbers asks as I come down from the flat over the shop. 

“This is perfect. I assume they agreed to the change in price?” I ask, the first time I saw the place I wanted them to drop the price by several thousand galleons. They were asking for what the place would be worth if it hadn’t been attacked by death eaters two years earlier. 

“Yes. They want the place off their hands so they can enjoy their retirement.” 

“Thanks, Tibbers. The flat above didn’t seem to get much fire damage, so I’ll be staying here. If you need me, send me an owl here.” Tibbers nods and hands me the deed to the place. 

“I need you to sign the bottom and officially this place is yours.” I pull a muggle pen out of my purse and sign the bottom of the paper. I love being a wizard, but everything they used is behind the times. I come from a mixed family: my mother is a witch, my dad a muggle, so I’ve become accustomed to using muggle writing implements. 

“Thank you, Tibbers.” 

“Anything for you. Your mother saved my family.” Tibbers took the paper and gave me a gentle hug. My mother is an Auror and helped stop death eaters from causing more havoc after Voldemort went down. 

“When I open, I hope you bring your girls to get some sweets. I have a few chocolate barks you can take with you as a thank you.” I pull out three different chocolate barks. One dark chocolate with cherries. White chocolate with toffee and almond pieces and milk chocolate with marshmallows and graham crackers.

“The girls will love these. Thanks, Penny.” Tibbers walks out of the shop with a smile on his face. I stand outside the shop watching him go. I look around Diagon Alley. The place is slowly coming back to life with people and shops. Some shops were changing hands and others reopening. I glance down the way a few shops down to see the dark windows of Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes. I knew George and Fred from my time at Hogwarts, but I doubt they know who I am. I was a Ravenclaw student and kept out of the way of them and their tricks. I’d heard someone injured George at one point, making him lose an ear. Now I can tell the two of them apart. I wondered if they would come back. Rumors swirled about one brother dying in the last battle, but I didn’t know who. 

“Good morning, Penelope!” Madam Malkin calls to me as she steps out of her shop. She holds a rug in her hands, shaking the dust off. 

“Good morning, Madam Malkin. When do you plan to reopen?” I ask, coming over to help her with the large rug. 

“As soon as I get the place cleaned up. New Hogwarts students will need robes. I reckon the letters will be sent next week. How long do you think you will be?” 

“I am trying for at least a week. I have my mom and dad coming to help me and my assistant Trista coming too.” 

“Wonderful, I’ve missed chatting with your mother.” I help Madam Malkin finish cleaning off her rug before going back into my shop. Looking around at the soot-streaked walls, I decide the first thing I need to do is get rid of the smoke smell and clean the walls. Pulling my wand out, I went to work for the morning, working hard to get the soot off the walls. It is harder than expected thanks to the magic used to explode the shop. I notice fire protection symbols for the flat above. It kept the damage to a minimum. 

“Penny!” I hear my mother call as I work in the back where I would make the chocolate and lollipops. 

“In the back, Mom!” I shout, my wand sends the mop and suds bucket into overdrive. 

“With a little hard work, this place will be perfect, Penny dear.” My mom comes into the back and hugs me gently around the shoulders. I see my dad standing behind her with his arms full of cleaning items. 

“I’ve been trying to get the soot off the walls, but whatever magic they used is a powerful spell.” I point to the black walls that were slowly turning gray. 

“Hmm, let me check it out and see if I can’t figure out how they did this.” My mom walks off touching the walls. My dad comes in and sees my bucket and mop working hard. 

“Where do you want me, sweetie?” he asks, putting his things down on the dented metal table left behind. 

“Can you help me with the floors?” I point to the dirty floors out front. 

“On it!” He slings a bandana on his head, tying it behind his waist-length hair. My dad enjoyed his hippie ways too much as a young man in the seventies. 

“Thanks, Dad.” I move to working on tossing out the damaged tables and chairs. In the process, I toss one chair too far into the dumpster, hearing a groan. Walking toward the dumpster, I find a man covered in tattered robes stinking to high heaven.

“Are you okay?” I ask the homeless man. 

“Why ya throwin’ things at me?” he grumbles, rubbing his shoulder where I guess the chair hit him.

“Better question, why are you in my dumpster?” I stand with my hands on my hips. 

“Mundungus, what are you doing?” I hear a voice call behind me. I look over my shoulder and suck in a breath. Fred Weasley is striding down the alley toward us. 

“I was lookin’ for things,” he replies, standing a little straighter as he speaks to Fred. 

“Get out of there. Nothing coming from this place will be worth anything.” Fred held a hand out to Mundungus. The smelly man took his hand, letting Fred pull him out of the dumpster. I hadn’t noticed when we were in school, but Fred is very strong. He hefted Mundungus without making it look like the man was heavy. 

“No more going through the dumpsters Dung.” Fred claps him on the shoulder, sending clouds of dust into the air. I do my best not to cough as a vile smell meets my nose. 


	2. 2

**FRED POV**

I stood next to Mundungus, trying to send him on his way away from the beautiful woman. I’d seen her a couple of times checking out the old bakery. It looks like today she is officially moving in to change the place. Mundungus grumbles but leaves the alley where the dumpster sat. 

“Hi, I am Fred Weasley,” I introduce myself as her stunning blue eyes pin me. 

“I know, I am Penelope Jaffee.” She holds out a hand, I shake it wondering how she knew me. 

“Do we know each other?” I ask, trying to ignore the tingles going up my arm. 

“We went to school together but weren’t in the same house. I know who you are because of the havoc you caused at school.” I laugh and nod my understanding. 

“George and I had a great time playing tricks, it helped us start our business.” I point to the brightly colored building George and I own. 

“When do you plan to reopen?” she asks, taking her hand back. 

“Our goal is in a week. We’ve had to go through some inventory and test a few new products.”

“That is the same as Madam Malkin. We might have a week of grand openings,” she replies, looking back at her own store. 

“I know a spell to get rid of the soot,” I offer, looking in the same direction she is. 

“Do you? I can’t seem to get it off the walls.” Her eyes light up with surprise. 

“Sure, can I come in?” I ask, and she nods, leading the way inside. I follow, trying not to stare at her amazing curves. She is about a foot shorter than me, with thick curves. I’ve always preferred my women with curves. I am not a small guy and don’t want to worry about breaking her. 

“Mom, this is Fred Weasley, he says he has a spell that can get rid of the soot.” A woman several inches taller than Penelope turns around. She looks exactly like her daughter, but with green eyes. 

“Perfect, I am Julie.” She motions me forward. I stepped up, pulled out my wand, and went to work. 

“ _Remotionem super carbones facies_.” I point my wand at the wall and soon the gray walls are void of all soot.

“Handy little spell.” I hear Penelope say, hands on her hips. 

“Do you need me to do it anywhere else?” I ask, looking around to check on the walls in the back area. 

“Could you come up to the flat and do it? There is some soot on the walls in the hallway leading to the flat.” 

“Sure thing.” I nod, following her up to the flat over the main shop area. 

“Here,” she announces, pointing to the wall. I see worse than the main area. 

“I hadn’t had a chance to work here yet,” she explains with a sheepish smile on her face. 

“No worry. _Remotionem super carbones facies_.” I point my wand, letting it do its job. Penelope stands next to me and does the same on the opposite wall. It took a good ten minutes of work, but finally the walls are clean. 

“Are you planning on painting? I know a good spell for that as long as you have the paint already.” 

“I need to find a place that sells paint.” She puts her hands on her hips looking around the hallway. 

“I know a place. Would you like me to show you?” I don’t know why, but I felt like I needed to spend more time with her. 

“Not yet. I need to finish cleaning the place before I paint,” she answers, a wry smile on her face. 

“Just let me know when you are ready for paint. Come by the shop and press the bell in the back. I’ll come down,” I tell her with a smile. 

“Thanks, Fred.” Penelope smiles at me before heading back into the main shop area. I follow her and head out of the shop, back to George. Walking into the shop, I spy George standing at the top of the stares with a smirk on his face. 

“What?” I ask, setting my coat by the door. 

“I saw you go over to help our new neighbor.”

“And?” 

“Just that she is exactly your type. What took you so long?” 

“Mundungus was in her dumpster and I helped her get the soot off the walls. That spell mum gave us helped. I offered to take her to Pike’s for paint when she was ready.” I step into our workroom to finish the last of our latest invention. 

“You did, did you?” George raises his eyebrow in surprise. 

“Yes.”

“Do you know what kind of shop she is opening?” I frown, I hadn’t thought to ask. 

“I don’t know.” 

“Seriously brother, how distracted were you by the girl?” he asks laughing at me. 

“Her name is Penelope Jaffee, she was a Ravenclaw student with us at Hogwarts,” I explain picking up the newest rocket toy we were working on. 

“I remember her. She dated Kyle Underwood.” I recognize Kyle’s name, he was a Gryffindor with us. 

“I wonder why I didn’t recognize her?” I muse setting my wand to the rocket watching it fizzle. 

“She was really quiet if I remember. Kyle and her only dated a semester before he moved to Alicia.” I frowned deeper, Kyle was a good friend of ours but he never stuck with a girl long. 

“Interesting. What is Kyle up to these days?” I ask, trying the rocket again. This time it shoots out of my hands slamming into the wall breaking into pieces. 

“Fuck.” 

“He is working at Saint Mungo’s as a healer. You might want to check the spring mechanization,” George suggests as I pick up the broken pieces. 

“Thanks, George. Have you heard about our shipment from Grog?” I put the pieces on my workbench and start to reassemble the rocket. 

“Should be here tomorrow.” 

“Thanks, when is Verity coming back to help stock shelves?” I tinker away on the rocket. 

“Wednesday, she had some family stuff come up.” George claps me on the shoulder before leaving me to work. I try to focus on the rocket, but Penelope’s jet black hair and piercing blue eyes keep jumping into my head. I felt angry that I didn’t remember her from school. Maybe I spent too much time working on our joke shop? Angelina broke up with me not long after we graduated because I never had time for her. She kept telling me I loved the shop more than her. I think she was right. I didn’t falter a step when we broke up and kept going with my work. I’ve barely spoken with Penelope Jaffee, and she consumes my thoughts. Shaking my head, I turn back to my work, eventually getting the rocket to fly without exploding or breaking on impact. Triumph makes me yearn for someone to share it with. 

“Hey Fred, we have an issue with the darkness powder,” George calls, I get up and go down to the main shop. Walking into the adult section, I see George frowning at a box. 

“What’s up?” 

“Look.” He tilts the box and I see the blackness powder rocks are half their normal size. 

“Who did we get this from again?” 

“Josue.” 

“Contact him through the wizard web and find out why we are getting subpar powder. I refuse to pay full price for these.” George nods and gets onto our wizard computer to contact Josue. Rubbing my forehead, I check the other items we get from Josue to make sure nothing else is wrong. 


	3. 3

**PENELOPE POV**

I spent half of the week working hard on getting the shop cleaned up. It took longer than I thought to get rid of all the magical creatures that tried to make the shop their home. My parents came several days in a row, helping me. Today Trista is coming to help me shop for new shelving and containers to display our items in. 

“Penny!” Trista’s voice floats up the hall to me as I am finishing my breakfast. 

“I’m coming!” I place my bowl and spoon in the sink and hurry down the stairs, slinging my purse over my shoulders. 

“Hey Trista,” I say, seeing her leaning against the wall. 

“Are you going to paint this place?” 

“Yes, I need to ask Fred to point me to the paint place. He told me he had a place to get it,” I explain seeing her lift an eyebrow in surprise. 

“Fred who?” 

“Weasley,” I say, pointing to their shop as we came out the front. I lock the door behind us. 

“How do you know Fred Weasley?” Trista gives me a shocked expression. 

“He came to help me get rid of a homeless man from my dumpster a few days ago,” I share, leading us down the alley to the main streets of London. We have to travel an hour to the magical shop we need for the displays. 

“And he just offered to help you paint?” she asks, following me onto the London Tube headed toward the edge of London. 

“Well, he came inside to help me get rid of the soot on the walls. He knew a spell, then after we cleaned the walls he asked if I was going to paint. I said yes, so he offered to come with me.” I take a seat next to Trista so we can talk in hushed voices.

“Interesting,” she replies with a smirk on her face. 

“Why?” 

“Well, if I remember correctly when we were in our sixth year, you had a massive crush on Fred Weasley.” I gape at her. How does she remember that?

“I don’t remember that, but I remember him asking Angelina Johnson to the Yule Ball.” I think about sixth year and the craziness that was the Triwizard Tournament. 

“You were so upset when you found out he was dating her. That is when you and Kyle got together.”

“Trista, do you remember more of my personal life than I do?” I ask, shaking my head. She laughs and pats my leg. 

“I remember a lot of that time. I try to think about the good and not the horrid things that came after.” I smile, wrapping my arm around her shoulder. When I was helping muggle-born wizards escape, she was the first one I helped. 

“I remember dating Kyle and him dumping me because I wouldn’t have sex with him.” I sigh, Kyle had been the type to dump a girl if she didn’t give it up. 

“You did the right thing. I regret giving my virginity up to Troy in our seventh year. He said we might not make it out alive after Harry told us Voldemort had come back.”

“What happened to Troy?” 

“He died in the battle,” she replied with a frown. I hug her gently, offering her comfort. 

“I am sorry.” 

“Don’t be. We broke up before the battle. I just feel sad about everyone who died in that battle or lost people they knew. It touched all of us, and now we have to figure out how to recover. They gave the seventh-year students from last year the option to go back and finish their studies. Now this will be the first school year where the school will be whole again.”

“I think we have done a good job recovering. The stupid marriage law the ministry tried to enact last year was crushed immediately. Battles happen, our population will recover.” I shake my head remembering the ministry put forth a law telling everyone between ages seventeen and twenty-five to be expecting a letter. They had paired people up, saying they would need to produce a child. Thankfully, those of us outside of school immediately shut it down, refusing to give up our lives. 

“So tell me more about Fred,” Trista asks, turning our conversation to something more interesting. I spent our trip talking to her about him and what I thought. After an hour we hopped off on the last stop going to Gilly’s Displays. 

“Got your list?” Trista asks as we walk into the store. My eyes bug out as I look around the place. Every different type of display you could think of is there. There are large barrels, tall shelving units, glass display cases. 

“Got it,” I answer, running a finger along a barrel that says Never-ending supply. 

“Welcome ladies! What can I help you with?” An older gentleman comes up to us with a name tag saying Gilly placed on his apron. 

“Yes. I am opening a new sweet shop in Diagon Alley. I have a list of the display items we need,” I explain handing him the list. I researched what I wanted and their prices. I needed to be careful with my money. 

“Detailed list, a girl after my own heart. Well, the barrels you want are right here. You place the inventory in it and it will always be at the top. As long as you have inventory, the barrel will stay full. You say you need eight?” He looks up from my list and I nod. 

“Ok, let me get my assistant on this. Roger!” A tall, muscular man with blond hair and hazel eyes stepped out. Trista gave a tiny intake of air next to me. I smiled and waited for Gilly to continue. 

“Roger, I need you to pack eight of these barrels. When do you need them at your store, hun?” 

“In two days.”

“Perfect, we will send everything in one shipment then. Let’s get your other shelves. I have a few that will keep people from pocketing the items.” He walks us over to some gleaming wooden shelves. I read the label. Anti-stealing shelves.

“What do they do?” 

“It attaches the item to the shelves. If it isn’t purchased, it comes out of whatever they put it in and makes its way back on the shelf. In place, it leaves a red howler yelling at them for stealing.” I laugh and nod. 

“Okay, I need nine of those. And I need four clear glass display cases. That will be all I need.” 

“Do you need temperature-controlled ones?” 

“Three temperature-controlled, and one not.” I see out of the corner of my eye Trista talking with Roger, flirting as she touches his arm. The girl can’t resist a handsome man. 

“Perfect. Come with me and I will write it up. Since you are buying so many of my items, I will give you a ten percent discount.”

“Thank you, Gilly. I will let others know about you and your wonderful items. Do you know where I can get baskets for people to use when shopping?” 

“I know Yolanda Timms will. She has a shop down the way.” He motions with his hand toward the street we were on. 

“Thanks, I will check her out after this.” 

“Good, tell her I sent you, she will give you a discount.” Gilly stepped behind his counter and began tallying up my total. I knew it would be an extensive amount of money. I’d been saving since I was a child for this. My parents were also helping me finance the shop. 

“Eight barrels, nine shelves, three temperature-controlled cases, and one regular clear glass display case. Add the ten percent discount, and that brings your total to five thousand galleons.” I give Gilly a confused look, I expected it to cost double. 

“Thank you.” I hand the man the money from my bag. He carefully empties it and begins counting the coins. 

“I am surprised you had the coin, why not put it in the bank?” he asks me, sliding the coins into his cash register. 

“I’ve had some concerns with Gringotts in the past. I am waiting for the ministry to appoint a new wizard in charge before I go back,” I explain remembering the goblins refusing to give me my money last year. I had to go through the ministry to have them release all the coins I had stored in the bank. 

“I heard they were having issues with some goblins. They’ve appointed Bill Weasley to be in charge.” 

“Thanks for that.” I wait with a smile on my face while he counts out the money. After a few minutes, he finishes counting and hands me a receipt. 

“Where do we send all of this?” 

“Number six-thirty-nine Diagon Alley. The store is called Smiley Pops.”

“Cute name. What are you selling there?” 

“Sweets and homemade candies. I specialize in chocolate bark and magical lollipops.” 

“Sounds delicious. Do you do mail orders?” 

“I do.”

“Wonderful. I will get in touch when you open to order some candies for my grandchildren.” 

“Thank you, Gilly.” I take the receipt and go to get Trista. 

“Trista, come on.” I take her arm, dragging her away from Roger. 

“You are done?”

“Yes, but we need to go to a place little ways down to get shopping baskets,” I explain turning us down the street in the direction Gilly sent us. Trista nods and we go off shopping. The day ends after we spend it running around shopping for baskets and ordering bags that have my logo on it. By the time I get back to the store, I see Fred standing outside, his hands behind his back, pacing around. Trista gives me a thumbs up and apparates back to her flat, leaving me with my hands full. 

“Hi, Fred.” 


	4. 4

**FRED POV**

I look up at Penelope’s voice saying hello. 

“Hi.” I stand there noticing she had her hands full. 

“Can I help you?” I ask, holding my hands out to help her. 

“Oh, thank you.” She passes me some of her bags, digging her keys out of her pocket. She unlocks the door as I hold her things. The bags were heavier than I thought they would be. I follow her inside and see the place is clean, but devoid of all decorations. 

“The place looks nice,” I tell her, setting the bags down off to the side of the entrance. 

“Thanks, I need to paint and Friday the displays will be here. After that it is waiting for some inventory to come and making the rest,” she explains. 

“What is your shop selling?” 

“Sweets. I will put the sign out front Saturday. I make chocolate bark and sell magical lollipops. I’ll also have other candies too. Chocolate frogs, Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans, sugar quills, the typical candies kids like to eat,” she tells me and I smile. 

“It has been a long time since a sweetshop was in Diagon Alley.” I think her idea is perfect for the alley. 

“That was my thinking. I loved going to Honeydukes at school and thought it should be here too.” I smile at her. She has a great idea for the alley. 

“So when are you planning on opening?” I ask, looking around. 

“Hopefully next Wednesday. I plan to be closed Sundays and Mondays to help replenish the shelves and do any shopping I need to get done.” 

“We are the same. Sundays are dinners with our family. After the war, my mother has been very insistent we all get together weekly to not lose touch with each other as we go our separate ways.” 

“I heard your family lost a brother, but I wasn’t sure which one,” she replies, keeping her tone light. I can tell she is trying not to open old wounds. 

“Percy died in the last battle,” I tell her, watching her hands pause in going through some bags she brought home. I spy paper bags with the logo of Smiley Pops on it. 

“I am so sorry.”

“It was hard on us all and we won’t forget him but we are trying to continue to live.” 

“That is smart of you.” I shrug and walk over to help her. 

“Did you want to go to the paint place I told you about?” I ask, looking at my watch. The place closes in about an hour. 

“Sure.” I watch her grab her purse, sticking it over her head to lie across her body. 

“Do you know what colors you want?” 

“Yes.” 

“Do you mind apparating with me? It is faster than taking muggle transport,” I ask, holding out a hand. She nods and gives me her hand. The same tingles as before spread across my body. Pulling her into my side I hold her close trying to hide my groan of pleasure. I look down and see her eyes dilate. Taking a moment, I stare into her eyes, seeing a ring of gold around her pupils. 

“Ready?” I ask, and she nods again. I think hard about Pike’s Paint and turn us. The sickening sensation of apparition takes over before we arrive at Pike’s Paint. 

“You okay?” I ask as we land. She nods but looks a little green. 

“Apparating always makes me a little sick. I usually take muggle transportation if I can help it,” she explains, stepping out of my arms. 

“Sorry, but if we took muggle transport, we wouldn’t make it here on time. Come.” I take her hand and lead her into the paint shop. 

“Fred!” Pike calls to me as I walk in. 

“Hey man! I have a friend here who needs paint for her new place.” I motion to Penelope standing next to me. I notice she is very quiet and stepping behind me slightly to hide her from sight. 

“How can I help you?” Pike asks her, Penelope gives a small smile. 

“I need these two colors,” she answers, pulling paint chips out of her purse. One is a pale pink and the other cotton candy blue. 

“Interesting colors,” Pike comments, taking the two from her. 

“I am opening a candy shop,” she explains, her cheeks are tinged pink with a delicate blush. 

“Where at?” Pike asks, stepping behind his counter to build the colors. 

“Diagon Alley. I need four gallons of each color. I also need this light gray for the flat above the shop,” she explains, handing him a third color. 

“Very nice. This has become a very popular neutral tone for walls. When do you plan to open?” he asks, keeping Penelope talking as I watch from the side. I can see her relaxing as Pike speaks. 

“I open next Wednesday, hopefully. I am waiting on things to arrive and then my assistant and I need to set everything up before we can open. The planned grand opening is Wednesday,” Penelope explains, leaning on the counter. 

“Is it only you and your assistant?” Pike asks, I feel envy as they chat away watching Penelope become more comfortable. 

“Yep. I don’t want to hire too many people because I don’t know how successful I will be. I am hoping I can afford to hire a second helper in the shop area by Christmas.” 

“Smart taking it slow. You don’t want to overextend. I did that at opening my shop here and almost lost it.” I give Pike a surprised look, I didn’t know he’d almost lost this place. 

“Here is your paint. How are you planning on getting these twelve gallons back to your shop?” Pike asks and I frown. I hadn’t thought about that. 

“I um, hmm.” Penelope looks at all the gallons and frowns. 

“I can place them in a crate and as long as you are touching the crate, it should come with you.” Pike goes into the back of his shop and brings back a large wooden crate. 

“This should work. Who wants to carry it?” he asks, looking between the two of us. 

“I will,” I say volunteering, I know it would be too heavy for Penelope. What many people don’t know about me is I enjoy working out. Pike nods and places the paint in the crate. 

“Are you sure?” Penelope asks me, giving me a concerned look. 

“Absolutely. George makes me move the heavy things in the shop all the time.” I pick up the crate, grunting slightly from the weight. 

“How much?” she asks Pike. 

“For you a hundred galleons. Fred and George are regular customers thanks to some of their experiments going wrong.” Pike gives me a smirk and I laugh. To my surprise, Penelope pulls out a pouch of money and hands one hundred galleons to him. 

“Thanks. I hope you come to me again and send people my way if you need paint.” 

“I will.” 

“Take my arm and we will go,” I tell her, offering her my elbow. She slips her hand in the crook of my arm and I apparate us back to the outside of her shop. To my surprise, Trista Eversmyth is waiting outside. I can tell Penelope is surprised too.


	5. 5

**PENELOPE POV**

I take a moment to recover from apparating with Fred. There I see Trista waiting outside the shop, hands on her hips. It is late in the evening after dinner time if I am correct when looking at the sky. 

“Where have you been?” Trista asks me with a glare. 

“Fred took me to get paint,” I explain, opening the shop so Fred can put the paint down.

“We have a double date in thirty minutes,” Trista reminds me, I give her a confused look. I don’t remember telling her yes to the date. 

“I remember you telling me you wanted me to come with you on a double date, but we didn’t decide on a day.” Fred puts the paint down with a thud. 

“I told you Wednesday. I wanted you to meet Matt’s friend Colin.” 

“Oh. Well, can you give me ten minutes to get ready?” I ask, looking over at Fred. I can see a frown on his face. 

“Thank you, Fred, for your help. Do you suppose you could come over tomorrow to share with me the spell you said that helps you repaint the walls quickly?” 

“Sure. Do you mind if I come by around nine?” I give him a smile and nod. 

“Thanks for everything.” On impulse, I lean up and place a kiss on his cheek. Every time we touch, I feel something sparking between us. 

“I’ll see you in the morning.” He gives me a curt nod and leaves. After he leaves, I round on Trista. 

“Did we really decide on a double date for tonight?” I ask, thinking maybe she said that to get a reaction out of Fred. 

“Well, Matt and I are seeing Colin tonight for drinks. No, I hadn’t fully confirmed with you on the day and time to meet Colin.”

“Then why push it on me tonight?” I had hoped to ask Fred to help me with the paint and offer to feed him dinner as a thank you. 

“I wanted to see what Fred would do. He didn’t look happy that you are going out.” Trista gives me a smile. 

“I can’t believe you. This is my love life.” 

“Were you and Fred going on a date then?” she asks me with a knowing smirk. 

“No, but I was going to ask him to help me with the paint and then offer him dinner as a thank you.” 

“You were?” She gives me a shocked look. 

“Yes. I am not the same sixteen-year-old with a crush on him. I wanted to do something about this.” 

“I am sorry, but do you want to go out with us, anyway? You can still meet Colin and decide if Fred is worth it?” she asks and I shrug. I don’t particularly want to, but I guess I should get out more. 

“Okay, give me a few minutes to change.” I motion to my clothing. I am wearing shorts and a t-shirt, perfect for cleaning, ugly for a date. 

“Hurry. We are meeting them at Club Magic.” I rush up the stairs to change into a cute sundress. It is August and boiling outside even with the sun down. Running a brush through my straight raven hair, I use a clip to pull it half up out of my face. Taking a few extra minutes, I put on some makeup and lip gloss. Coming back down, I see Trista standing there with Fred in the doorway. 

“Why are you here, Weasley?” Trista demands hands on her hips. 

“I need to ask Penelope something.”

“You mean Penny,” she corrects him and I sigh. No one calls me Penelope unless they read my name on a letter. 

“Well, I call her Penelope.” Fred leans against the doorjamb and I notice he has changed into a pair of dark wash jeans and a short-sleeved button-up shirt. 

“Hi Fred.” 

“Penelope.” He looks up at me and I feel a blush spread across my skin. The look he gives me sends inappropriate thoughts swirling in my mind. 

“What did you need me for?” I ask him, coming into the main shop area. 

“I wanted to know if you would have dinner with me tonight?” I catch Trista’s eye and she winks at me. 

“I would like that, yes.” I pass Trista and take Fred’s hand. 

“Will you let Colin know I am sorry but I can’t meet him tonight for drinks?” I ask Trista, trying to hide how excited I am that Fred asked me out. 

“I will. Have fun, you two.” Trista walks out of the shop and apparates away. I look up at Fred and ask,

“Where are we doing dinner?” 

“Would you be upset if I said my flat? George is out on a date with some witch he met at the ministry while he was working on our permits.” 

“You cook?” I ask surprised, my last boyfriend lived at home and didn’t cook. 

“Well, George and I live on our own and were on a barebones budget when we started out. We needed to cook instead of eating at the Leaky Cauldron all the time.” 

“I understand that. Well lead on,” I say motioning him out of my shop. Once he leaves the shop, I turn and lock up before following him down the way to his flat. He takes my hand and walks with me, shortening his strides to make it so I could keep up with him. 

“What did you plan to make for dinner?” I ask while watching the sun setting in the west. 

“Are you comfortable with fajitas?” 

“Yes. Can I help you cook? I enjoy cooking.” 

“I’d enjoy the help.” Fred pulls me closer, putting an arm around my shoulders. It feels right to be at his side. Without thinking, I wrap an arm around his waist. 

“Oh, wait!” I stop us halfway to his place. 

“What?” he asks, looking down at me. I try not to melt under his gaze. 

“Can I go grab us dessert?” He gives me a bright smile and I turn us back to my shop. Fred keeps up with my hurried steps. 

“Wait here.” I unlock the door and rush to my flat. While the shop is under construction I have been working on making the lollipops and the chocolate bark. I grab multiple kinds of each and stuff them in my bag before running back to Fred. He is standing in the doorway, the sun setting behind him. It throws him into a stunning profile. 

“I’m ready,” I announce walking over. Fred smiles and bends down to kiss my cheek.

“I haven’t told you yet, but you look amazing.” He takes my hand and we walk back to his flat a little faster than before. 

Stepping into his flat, I notice the place is much less colorful than the shop. The walls are a warm cream color with family pictures plastered around. I notice several knitted throw blankets, each one a mix of Gryffindor colors. 

“Big fan of your house, I assume?” I ask, pointing to the blankets. Fred gives me a laugh and his cheeks blush. 

“My mum likes to knit and George and I asked for no more jumpers. We haven’t changed size in years and they were collecting.” I laugh and nod my understanding. 

“One year I started collecting those muggle light-up houses and now I get one every year from my parents with the matching figurines. I have more than I know how to put out each Christmas,” I explain, and he gives me a confused look. 

“I wish I had a picture to show you. Every year we put it out and take a picture using it as a backdrop for our Christmas cards.” 

“I’ll take your word for it. How did you get involved with all the muggle things? You’ve mentioned a couple of times using muggle things, and I noticed your dad had muggle cleaning supplies when I saw them on Monday.” Fred heads into the kitchen with me following. I set my purse on one stool at the peninsula. 

“My father is a muggle, my mother is a witch,” I explain coming into the kitchen to help. 

“If you cut the veggies, I’ll get the chicken going,” Fred says opening his refrigerator, he takes out some peppers for me and two chicken breasts for himself. I nod and pull out my wand, pointing it to one of his knives. He does the same and we stand next to each other as the knives get to work. 

“So how did your mom break the news to your dad she was a witch?” he asks me. 

“They met after she left Hogwarts. She is an Auror and saved his family from some dark wizards. He was obliviated, but my mom ran into him again and asked him out. They dated for two years before she let him know who she was. You know the laws about revealing yourself as a witch or wizard. You have to be engaged for that to happen.” 

“How did he take it?” 

“He was shocked at first but thought it wonderful after she showed him a few spells. She said she had to get permission from the ministry to reveal herself and prove they were engaged. If he freaked out and ran off they had a wizard on stand by to obliviate.”

“That sounds intense. How worried was she?” 

“According to her, she wasn’t scared and believed in their relationship.” 

“I’m impressed. I think I would be terrified about being rejected.” I nod my agreement and watch as Fred swirls his wand and perfectly seasoned and cooked chicken breasts emerged from the stove. He flicks his wand and sends the veggies into the pan with a sizzle. 

“Can I get out the tortillas?” I ask, looking around for a pantry. 

“Over there.” He motions to a cabinet. I pull it open and get out a package of tortillas.

“Do you like anything on yours?” I ask, opening the refrigerator. 

“Can you get the shredded cheese, sour cream, guacamole, salsa, and lettuce?” I pull out all the toppings laughing. I loved piling my fajitas with toppings, my parents always thought I was odd.

“What do you put on yours?” he asks me as I place all the items out on the bar area. I don’t see a table to sit at to eat. 

“Sorry, we don’t have a table. George and I don’t normally entertain here.” He gives me a sheepish look and I giggle. 

“I have a small four-person table in my flat. It was a gift from my parents when I bought the shop. I like a lot of toppings on mine by the way.” 

“That was nice of them. My mum wasn’t fully supportive of our choice of job. I think she was angrier that we never finished at Hogwarts.” I nod, remembering the day Fred and George left Hogwarts. 

“I remember that day. The swamp stayed in the corridor. None of the teachers would help Umbridge with it.” Fred laughs and plates the sauteed veggies. I whip out my wand and slice the rested chicken breast, setting it neatly on a clean platter I found in the cabinets. 

“Drinks?” I ask, and he shakes his head. 

“Sit, I’ll get them. Are you okay with butterbeer or would you like something more grown-up?” he asks, reaching into the fridge for a bottle of white wine. 

“We are both of age. Wine is fine. I find butterbeer too sweet,” I answer, accepting the glass of wine. 


	6. 6

**FRED POV**

I settle next to Penelope after getting us utensils. We make our first fajita in silence. I know I’m starving from a day of working hard in the shop and helping her. 

“So what made you come back and ask me to dinner?” she asks before biting into her piled high fajita. 

“To be honest, George.” She lifts an eyebrow and I continue. 

“I came back here, and he wanted to know what I was up to. I explained I was helping you with the paint. Then he asked if I was taking you out. I told him no, that you had a date with some guy named Colin. George told me in no uncertain terms I needed to march back over and ask you out to dinner.” 

“I am glad you came to ask me. Trista kind of put me on the spot. She had mentioned me meeting Matt’s friend, but we hadn’t set a date. She did it because she wanted to see if you were interested in me.” I look over at her in surprise. 

“She did? How much did you talk about me?” I ask, delighted that she mentioned me to her friend. 

“She wanted to know why you were helping me. I explained you shared an awesome spell to get rid of soot.” I can tell she isn’t telling me everything, and I think back about our time at Hogwarts. 

“How come we never met at Hogwarts? George mentioned you dated Kyle for a time.” 

“I was in Ravenclaw and spent a lot of time in the library hiding from my housemates. They were very competitive with our grades and who was the smartest. I remember the kids two years younger than us grumbling about Hermione Granger being the smartest.” I laugh at her mentioning Hermione. 

“She is very smart. She gave George and me a lot of crap about us testing our products,” I tell her, and she gives a small chuckle. 

“I heard rumors running around our common room you would pay people to test your products.” 

“True, George and I go through the beginning phases. We test nothing on people until we need a control group.” 

“Do you still do that now?” she asks me, sipping the last of her wine. 

“Yes, we hire control groups. Do you want more wine?” I ask, pointing to her glass. She nods and I snag the bottle pouring her more wine, and topping off my own. 

“Do you have new products to show off when you reopen?” 

“We have a couple. I have one I have been fighting with.” She cocks her head to the side, and I see she is finished eating. 

“Want to sit on the couch?” I motion to the couch I usually lay on watching the muggle television George and I bought. She nods and we bring our glasses of wine to the couch. 

“Do you watch things on that?” she asks, pointing to the TV. 

“Yeah, we’ve found some movies we like to watch. I can’t believe the wizarding world has let this amazing invention slip past us.” 

“My dad loves his TV. He watches muggle sports on it. I found my love for superheroes from him.”

“Do you read muggle comic books too?” I ask and she blushes a deep red but nods. 

“I do too!” I announce and rush to my room, grabbing a set of Superman comics I recently discovered while walking through the muggle portion of London. I also found an interesting game where people pretend to be different characters from the wizarding world and go on adventures. George and I are trying to convince some of our friends and cousins to play with us. So far we have Lee on board. I’d been fiddling with the game pieces to work like wizard’s chess. I bring back a comic book and show her what I found. She giggles and flips through the books. 

“This is awesome. I also have a slight obsession with manga,” she shares, and I give her a confused look. 

“Manga?” 

“Japanese comics. They are more book thickness versus the thin version of comic books.” 

“I would like to see those,” I reply, and she gives me a small nod. 

“I take it some people think you are weird because of this?” She nods again and I smile at her. 

“I like weird. It means no one will ever be able to figure you out. I love jokes and things, but George and I are trying to branch out. We have some muggle magic tricks in the shop.” 

“You are not like any other men I have been on a date with,” she muses and I frown. 

“What happened on your last date?” I ask and she shrugs. 

“The guy talked about quidditch only. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t hate quidditch, but I suck at flying on a broom. I am not good at it and heights scare me a little.” I nod my understanding. 

“I can understand that. Hermione refused to play with us when we were kids. She didn’t enjoy flying, so she would keep score.” 

“Same with my friends. Trista loved playing quidditch and was a chaser on the Ravenclaw team.” 

“Who else did you play with?” I ask, wanting to know more about her friends. 

“Trista, Kevin Monroe, Reese Gorgon, and Wilmer Gallagher,” she answers and I try to place the names. I remember Wilmer and Kevin because they were the Ravenclaw beaters. 

“And I still don’t remember you? What happened with you and Kyle?” 

“We broke up as many young people do.” I see a frown and I reach out to take her hand. 

“He pushed you to do something you didn’t want to do, didn’t he? I remember Kyle bragging about all the girls he slept with.” 

“Well, I wasn’t one of them.” I squeeze her hand, smiling. 

“I am glad. You seem better than many of the girls Kyle would be with.” She gives me a smirk and shrugs. 

“We were young. I am sure he is better now. So who do you like to hang out with now?” she asks, turning the conversation to be about me. 

“Lee Jordan still comes around once a week to hang out and play games. He also is one of our reliable test subjects. All my siblings come by along with Harry and Hermione.”

“Do you see them regularly?” 

“Not always. Harry and Ginny come by as often as Ginny’s Holyhead Harpies schedule allows.” 

“Sounds about the same for me. Trista, I see her regularly because she works with me. The others we spend time together when we can.” 

“Will they be at your opening?” 

“I hope so. What about your friends?” 

“Everyone is planning on coming Tuesday for our opening. I hope you will come too.” I rub my thumb over her hand. 

“Of course I will come.” She gives me a bright smile and sets her empty glass down. 

“Want to help me finish the bottle?” I use my wand to bring the bottle over to us. 

“Sure, this is a delicious wine. Do you drink it often?” 

“No. I’ll drink a beer now and then with George. The wine was a gift from one of his girlfriends.” 

“How many girls does George have going?” 

“I honestly don’t know. I don’t keep track of who he goes out with because I wouldn’t remember their names. He always tells me they know their dates are nothing serious. I think him losing his ear has hit his confidence.” 

“I can understand that. It is hard to know if people like you because they feel bad you lost your ear or if they just like you,” she answers and I sense a hint of understanding in her words. 

“Do you know someone like that?” 

“A lot of the people who work with my mom have lost parts of themselves, she is an Auror.” I nod my understanding and settle next to her, putting my arm around the top of the couch. To my delight, she snuggles in. 

“Want to watch a movie?” I ask and she nods. I flick my wand, setting the lights to dim, and turn on the TV putting in a movie. I do all this without removing my arm from around her shoulders. 


	7. 7

**PENELOPE POV**

I settle in next to Fred loving the feel of his arm around my shoulders keeping me close. I set my empty wine glass down, feeling a little tipsy. I haven’t drunk that much wine in a while. We watch Varsity Blues and I giggle. 

“Do you know this is about American Football?” I ask as the opening begins. 

“I do. I find Americans fascinating. One day I will go to America to see how they have their joke shops set up. I can never learn enough to help expand my business.” I smile at his reply, I love how passionate he is about his work. I just hope it doesn’t become something where he ignores me for it all the time. Not like we are dating yet, but the way tonight is going, I hope we start a relationship. Fred’s hand slips down to rub my arm, pulling me even closer. I rest my head on his chest, hearing his heart beat a little faster. We sit and watch the movie for a while in comfortable silence. Deciding to push myself out of my comfort zone, I drop one of my hands onto his thigh. A slight intake of breath is all I notice from him as I stroke. 

“Penelope,” he whispers, and I look up with an innocent expression on my face. 

“Yes?” 

“I don’t want to read into anything, but your hand is driving me crazy.” His voice is a little tight and I notice his pants are a little tighter. 

“Maybe I want you to read into this just a little,” I remark, earning a gaping expression on his face. 

“I like you, Fred, to be honest, I’ve had a little crush on you for years,” I admit this time not meeting his eyes. 

“Now I feel like even more of an ass for not remembering you from school. I like spending time with you and want to see where this goes.” Fred leans down and places a kiss on my lips. As first kisses go, this was the most amazing. Tingles shot through my body, settling in my core. I leaned into the kiss, feeling his warm, soft lips against mine. Fred’s hands circle my waist and pull me onto his lap. I gasp into the kiss, letting his tongue in by accident. I let him play with my tongue, turning our kiss much more intimate than originally intended. A soft moan collects at the back of my throat, escaping before I can stop it. Fred pulls back from the kiss, his eyes dark with desire for me. The movie is playing the ending credits in the background. 

“That was perfect,” he murmurs, leaning in to kiss me once more. I close my eyes and try to be a more active participant, wrapping my arms around his neck. My chest brushes against his, sending more warmth flooding my body. 

“I don’t know what you are doing to me Fred, but I like it,” I whisper after pulling back from the kiss pressing my forehead against his.

“Same here Penelope, or should I call you Penny?” he asks with a smirk. I chuckle, remembering Trista from earlier. 

“Penelope is good. I like it to be our thing.” I enjoy him calling me Penelope, it makes me feel special. 

“Penelope, it is. You can still call me Fred,” he answers with a laugh. 

“Not Frederick?” I joke and he frowns at me. 

“No. My mother only says my full name when she is mad at me.” 

“So you heard it often growing up?” I tease. He drops his head back onto the couch, acting as if I wounded him. 

“How do you know me so well?” 

“Easy to guess with all the crazy hijinks you and George got into at school.”

“Hijinks?” He places a hand on his heart, giving me an innocent look.

“Oh, no, you don’t fool me, Fred Weasley. I happened to end up in some of your jokes and I know you were never an innocent wizard.” I poke him in the chest, making him let out a loud laugh. 

“You got me, Penelope.” Fred squeezes me gently in a hug. The sound of keys in a lock catches my attention and I look over the couch at the stairs. A head of red hair slowly appears and soon George emerges. 

“Hello,” he says to me, stopping short, seeing me in Fred’s lap. I slide off his lap and stand up. 

“I should head home. I have another big day of working in my shop. Thank you for dinner and the movie Fred.” Fred stands with me, taking my hand and walking me down and out. 

“I had a wonderful time. Want to come to my flat for dinner tomorrow?” I ask, stopping outside his door. 

“I’d love to. Let me walk you home. It is dark outside.” He takes my hand and we stroll back to my flat. 

“I had a great time tonight, Penelope. Thank you for saying yes.” Fred gives me a gentle kiss as we stop outside my flat door. 

“Same here. Thanks for asking.” I lean up and kiss him once more before opening my flat door. 

“Sleep well, Fred.”

“You two, my sweet Penelope.” Fred turns and heads back to his flat. I watch for a few minutes before locking the door and rushing upstairs to my bathroom to shower and get to bed. 

I wake up the next morning stretching with a smile on my face. I had a wonderful dream last night about Fred. Then it hit me, we never got to dessert. I hurry over to where I left my purse and pull out the candy I’d brought over for him to try. I will have to make sure he tries it tonight. Looking around the place, I realize I have done little to make it look like a home. I need to paint the walls first so they can dry, and then I can put up my photos. Placing my hands on my hips, I stand in the living room in my pajamas. I need to make a list of everything I want to get done today. Trista will be here in an hour, and Fred said he’d come by at nine to help me paint. That gives me two or three hours to make my list, eat breakfast, put on clothing I can get messy in and decide what to make for dinner. Last night he cooked fajitas for me, tonight I wanted to make a traditional Irish dish. I grew up in Ireland, so we had many traditional Irish dishes that have become comfort food for me. 

In a flurry, I run around the flat, getting ready for my day. I toss my hair up into a ponytail at the back of my head, putting on a t-shirt and shorts. A knock sounds at the door leading up to my flat. I run down the stairs to see Trista standing there with two cups of coffee in her hands. 

“You have to tell me everything about your date!” she demands, handing me the coffee. I laugh and motion for her to head into the shop. 

“We ate at his flat. George was out on a date,” I begin then take a sip of my coffee. I hum my pleasure. 

“You are the best.” 

“Okay and?” she asks, motioning for me to continue my story. 

“And we cooked fajitas together, enjoyed a wonderful bottle of wine, and watched a muggle movie on his television set.” I set my coffee down and use my wand to pull out the drop cloths for the floor. It was one of the few things that hadn’t been too damaged because it was stone. 

“That’s it?” she asks, looking at me in disbelief.

“Well, we had a wonderful time talking and getting to know each other. At the end, we shared a few kisses before George came home. Then as he walked me back here, I asked him to come to dinner here tonight,” I explain, and she lets out a cheer. 

“I knew you two would hit it off!” I laugh and point for her to help me.

“We need to get the counter set up and the cash register ready to be used.”

“On it, boss.” She gives me a salute and we go about the next half hour deciding where we want the counter. A knock comes at the front of the shop. I open it to see Fred standing in a t-shirt and shorts. 

“Ready to paint?” he asks me and I smile. 

“Almost.” He gives me a confused look until I step out the door and place a gentle kiss on his lips. 

“Okay, now I am ready,” I say, laughing at his bewildered expression. Fred follows me in and wraps an arm around my waist. 

“I liked that,” he whispers, kissing my cheek. I smirk and turn around in his arms to look up into his deep hazel eyes. He bends his head and plants a much more passionate kiss on my lips. I lean into him until Trista makes a gagging noise. 

“Enough, it is too early,” she complains at me.


	8. 8

**FRED POV**

I keep my arms around Penelope, staring at Trista over her head. 

“Good morning to you too,” I say, giving her a smirk. 

“Hi, Fred.”

“I am here to help you paint,” I announce, looking down at Penelope. She smiles up at me.

“You said you know a spell to paint the walls?” she asks and I nod. 

“George and I use it all the time when our experiments get a little out of hand. You should see our workroom,” I say with a laugh, remembering the disaster we ended up with last week trying to add to our skiving snack boxes. 

“Show me your paint,” I say, and she pulls me over to the pink and blue paints. 

“How do you want the walls?” 

“Pink and blue stripes a foot in width from the ceiling to floor. I want the place to look like a mix of cotton candy threw up on the walls,” she tells me with a smile. I laugh and nod. 

“That makes it a little more complicated, but we can do it. I think we should make the base pink and then put the blue over top with the blue stripes.” She looks around the room, giving my suggestion some thought. 

“Okay, sure. The kitchen area I want to leave white,” she replies after a minute of looking around. I nod and walk over to one of the pink cans, using my wand I pop it open. 

“ _Murum pingunt_ ,” I murmur, and the paint arches from my wand, not dripping on the floor. I spray it on the wall. 

“It might take two coats, but you can see how easy this is,” I explain slowly moving my wand up and down the wall to coat it carefully. 

“Sounds easy enough. Trista, you take that wall and I will do this one,” Penelope orders pointing to the walls. The three of us worked for the next few hours, painting the walls pink and working on the flat above the shop while we waited for the pink downstairs to dry. Trista and Penelope were funny together, each teasing the other about their painting skills. When we made it to the flat above the shop Trista complained gray was a boring color. 

“Just because I don’t want my walls up here to match downstairs doesn’t mean I am boring,” Penelope shot back, making me choke on a laugh. Now we are sitting on the floor in the shop enjoying a lunch Penelope pulled together. 

“So how many of those swamps did you sell right after leaving one for Umbridge?” Trista asks me as I take a bite of my sandwich. 

“We sold out the first day we opened the shop,” I answered thinking about the craziness of opening the shop all those years ago, and now I am doing it again in a few days. 

“Are you nervous about opening?” I ask, looking at Penelope as she pops a crisp into her mouth. 

“Beyond nervous. Tomorrow all the shelves arrive and then Saturday the product I ordered. I am spending the rest of my time making chocolate bark and lollipops.” 

“We forgot dessert yesterday, I am sorry,” I apologize as she shakes her hand. 

“Don’t worry about it, I had a wonderful time last night.” She pats my hand, making me smile. 

“You two are too much, come on, let’s get the blue up on the walls so you can go on your date.” Trista dusted her hands off and stood. Penelope and I followed. With a swipe of her wand, the food was cleaned up. I stretched my back and twisted, getting any kinks out. 

“Now the blue we have to be more careful with.” I wave my wand and guidelines come up for us to use. 

“How did you learn all of this?” Penelope asks, looking around the room in awe. I shrug, not wanting to brag. 

“My mom knew a lot of house spells.” 

“I’d love to meet her and pick her brain about some then,” Penelope replies and I can tell she said it without thinking because she gasps and covers her mouth with her hands. 

“I’d like you to meet her too. She is coming to the reopening of the shop.” 

“I’ll be there to celebrate your success. Let’s get started.” She points her wand to the paint murmuring the spell I taught her. Trista followed, and I did too until the shop took on the cotton candy look she wanted. It took us another three hours before it was perfect. 

“Done!” The three of us stepped into the middle of the shop admiring our handy work. 

“It looks nice,” I say, putting my wand away and wrapping an arm around Penelope’s shoulders. 

“Thank you! I hope everything comes on time and we are ready to open on Wednesday next week.” I look down at her and smile, she is beautiful. Her hair is pulled up exposing her creamy neck, she is just the right amount of curvy for me. 

“Do you need help to move things around upstairs?” I ask, remembering her empty flat above. 

“I need to get my furniture arranged now that the space is ready. My bedroom is done, but the rest of the flat needs help.” 

“I’ll leave you two to do that. I want to spend a quiet night at home before the crazy happens tomorrow.” Trista bids us goodbye, walking out of the front door of the shop. 

“Does George need you?” she asks me, looking out the window toward the shop. 

“I told him I would be here helping you. If he needs me he knows where to find me,” I answer taking her hand heading to her flat above. 

“Where do you want to start?” I ask looking around her apartment seeing the furniture pushed into the middle of the room from us painting earlier. 

“Let’s get the kitchen put together. I need to get the boxes unpacked,” she replies, pointing to the boxes.

“I’ll move the table and chairs,” I say, walking over to her oak table. I lift the table with a grunt, moving it to place it near her kitchen area. 

“Thanks, Fred, oak wood is heavy,” she remarks as I place the four chairs around the round table. 

“You are not wrong. Can I help put dishes away?” It hasn’t taken me more than five minutes to put the table right. 

“Could you move the couch and television set?” she asks, pointing to where the other furniture was piled. 

“Certainly.” I move over to the furniture and start moving it around, periodically I ask her for her opinion. It strikes me we are acting like a married couple just moving into a new place. She is putting away the things in the boxes and I am moving the furniture. Bending down, I finish hooking up her television and turn it on flipping channels until I find the quidditch wizarding channel. I set it to that so I can listen to Ginny’s match in the background. 

“You don’t mind, do you? I try to keep track of Ginny since this is her first year with the Holyhead Harpies,” I ask pointing to the television. 

“Not at all. My dad finds it fascinating to watch quidditch along with his muggle sports,” she tells me with a laugh. I watch her stand on her tiptoes, trying to reach the top of a cabinet. 

“Want help?” I ask coming up behind her taking the cereal box from her hands. She drops back onto her heels and turns around. I place the box in the cabinet and look down at her. I can’t help it, she is beautiful. I bend down and give her a kiss. She places her hands on my chest opening her mouth letting me slip my tongue in. I take the invitation and mate my tongue with hers. I press her against the counter with my body, letting my arms slip around her waist. She is an addiction I don’t want to quit. Her quiet moan spurs me on as I deepen the kiss. 


	9. 9

**PENELOPE POV**

Fred is kissing me, making my body burn with need. I’d never wanted more to give my virginity to someone before. Fred makes me want to drag him into my bedroom and break in my new sheets. Fred lets me go and I lean my head against his broad chest. 

“Penelope, you make me forget myself,” Fred whispers, stroking my back with his hands. 

“Same here,” I admit, looking up into his expressive eyes. I’d never seen this side of him in school, a more mature Fred, one that wasn’t always thinking about playing tricks on others. Just as I am about to ask about dinner, his stomach rumbles. 

“Thanks for your help to set my place up. I’ll make dinner.” I slip out of his arms and open the fridge to pull out the makings for dinner. 

“Let me help, it is only fair since you helped yesterday,” he comments, pulling his wand out. 

“Perfect, can you scrub and peel those potatoes?” I ask, pointing to the ones on the counter. 

“Can do. My mother made us help with dinner, scrubbing and peeling potatoes were one thing she made us do regularly.” 

“Perfect.” I cut up the lamb into small pieces before tossing it into a pan to brown. I’m used to cooking the muggle way because my mother was always busy with her job, my dad cooked most of the time. We move around each other easily as I make the shepherd’s pie, Fred taking over making the mashed potatoes to go on top. 

“So what was it like growing up in Ireland?” Fred asks as I put the pie in the oven. 

“I suppose similar to you growing up in England. My town is close to the beach, so it is nice in the summer.” 

“I’ve never been to Ireland,” he remarks, reaching into the cabinet I just put wine glasses in, taking two out. He laughs when he sees the one he grabbed had a snowman on it. 

“Might be too early for the winter themed ones?” he says, putting it back, grabbing one I painted myself. 

“These are pretty, I’ve never seen wine glasses painted before.” He turns the glass over, looking at the sunflower painted one. 

“I made those over the summer, I used the money I made from them at craft fairs to supplement my budget for the shop. I sold the glasses with chocolate bark in them.” Fred gives me a shocked expression, then smiles. 

“Maybe you can make some for me to buy and give my mum?” he asks, pulling a wine bottle from my fridge pouring us two glasses. I shrug, knowing myself I will give him the wine glasses. I wouldn’t feel right charging him. 

“Want to watch your sister’s match while we wait for dinner?” I ask, motioning to the couch. Yesterday, spending time snuggling on the couch made me very happy. 

“I’d rather talk with you, or continue what we were doing before,” he replies, giving me a sultry look. I blush and look away. Fred comes over and gives me one glass. I take it from him and walk over to the couch. I sit and Fred joins me. I sip my wine, pretending to watch the television. Fred settles next to me, setting his arm around my shoulders. I lean my back against his chest. 

“This is nice,” Fred murmurs, rubbing my arm with his hand. I nod my agreement, sipping my wine, enjoying the comfort of him. 

“Was I wrong assuming you might want to continue what we were doing before you made dinner?” he asks after a few minutes of sitting in silence. I shake my head no. 

“I enjoyed kissing you, Fred,” I whisper, leaning forward to set my wineglass down on the coffee table. Fred sets his glass on the side table. 

“Then can I kiss you again?” he asks, turning my head so our eyes meet. I look up into his hazel eyes, searching for any ulterior motives. I’d been burned before in the past by men and didn’t want it to happen again. 

“Promise this isn’t a fling?” I ask, turning my body to face him. 

“I like you, Penelope. I am sorry we never met officially at school, but I am glad we met now. We are recovering from the war, both adults out of school, and our shops are close to each other.” Fred tucks a strand of hair behind my ear, his touch eliciting sparks. 

“There is something between us, Penelope. I want to see where it goes,” he finishes leaning forward to place a gentle kiss to my lips. I smile up at him and lean forward, slipping my hands up over his shoulders. I press my chest to him before my lips connect with his. His lips are soft and smooth as we make out. I don’t know how long we spend exchanging tiny kisses before our kisses become heated. I open my mouth to let his tongue in to tangle with my own. He tastes of the wine we were just drinking. Soon Fred is leaning me back onto the couch cushions. Flashes of a time from during the war come to mind. Hands holding me against my will, pinned to a filthy mattress. Disgusting breath in my face trying to kiss me. 

“I’m sorry,” I gasp dropping off the couch curling my arms around my knees. Fred gives me a confused look but kneels on the floor. 

“What happened?” 

“A flashback from the war came to mind. I had just gotten a group of muggle-born wizards through the portkey when a group of hunters attacked. They were looking for wizards to turn in to the ministry. The male wizards I had with me were killed instantly. The hunters liked me and kept me. They pinned me down onto a dirty mattress one-night wanting payment for keeping me alive,” I explain shaking my head. 

“Penelope, I am so sorry you had to go through that. I promise we will take things as slow as you need.” He holds out a hand to help me up. I get up and the timer dings for dinner. 

“Perfect timing,” I say, rushing into the kitchen to forget everything that happened.

“Smells delicious,” he assures me, helping me get the table set. I serve up our meal and settle at the table across from him. 

“How did you get out of that situation?” he asks once we are settled at the table again. 

“One of them left their wand in their back pocket. I grabbed it and fought my way out.” 

“Wow, I forget sometimes people had other fights besides the enormous battle at Hogwarts. I know that the death eaters were there, but the hunters who went looking for muggle-borns weren’t a part of the fight. How long ago was it?” He reaches over and squeezes my hand, offering me some comfort. 

“I think right before the big battle. I remember them talking about what Voldemort had planned, and they were invited to join the last fight. Most of them were chicken and refused to go. I remember overhearing one say they didn’t have the mark so Voldemort couldn’t find them if they ran.” I shudder, remembering the awful men who held me captive for about a month. 

“I promise to take things slow with you,” he tells me, bringing my hand to his lips leaving a kiss on my knuckles. 

“Thanks, Fred, I have told no one that story. My mom and dad were busy fighting elsewhere that they didn’t know I’d gone missing. It wasn’t uncommon for us to go weeks without talking.”

“That was the hardest part for my mum. We went around moving to undetectable places and unable to talk to each other. We didn’t want to be found by the death eaters,” Fred shares with me, I see the sadness in his eyes. 

“I am glad we are back together,” I say, taking my hand back and a bite of my dinner. We shift to safer topics for the rest of dinner. At the end, I flick my wand to let magic clean up. 

“How about dessert?” I ask, getting up to pull a fresh batch of chocolate barks out of the baskets I’d been keeping them in. The perks of being a witch was I could put a keep fresh spell on them and the chocolate wouldn’t taste stale. 

“Sounds good, which ones do you have?” he asks, leaning back in his chair. 

“Come to the couch, we can taste them all over there. Did you want to try any of the lollipops too?” I ask, pulling out another basket with rainbow lollipops. I shape each pop like an animal. 

“What do they do?” 

“Well they taste great, change your tongue colors and once you get to the end of the lollipop, you can sound like the animal you picked for thirty seconds.” I hold them up and he laughs. 

“Okay, I want to see which animals you have to choose from.” Fred stands and picks up the basket and I grab the chocolate. We hurry over to the couch and try all the candies, I feel like a kid again as we eat too much candy. By midnight we’ve tried almost all the lollipops laughing at each other when we hear their animal sound. Checking the clock, I see it nearing twelve-thirty. Fred follows my gaze and sighs. 

“I should head home. Thank you for dinner. It was delicious. Do you need any help later today?” he asks me and I shake my head. 

“You’ve done so much for me. I don’t want to keep taking you away from George. I’d hate for him to dislike me.” I stand up, holding a hand out to Fred. He takes it, pulling himself off the couch. 

“I’ll talk with George, but I want to see you again.” He bends down and kisses me. This kiss isn’t like the sweet kisses we’d been exchanging. This one held a promise of spending time together building our relationship. 

“See you later.” Fred kisses me once more before turning and apparating out of my flat. I take another thirty minutes to clean up, shower, and wind down enough to go to bed.


	10. 10

**FRED POV**

The next few days I watch as things keep arriving at Penelope’s shop. Several times I was tempted to go over and help her but George kept getting in the way. The day before our opening I am almost out the door, my hand on the knob when George catches me. 

“Where are you going, Fred?” 

“I was going to see if Penelope needed my help. I saw she finally got her display cases today,” I tell him. 

“She has a wand Freddie, she can take care of herself. I need you here helping with the inventions and getting our store put together. We reopen tomorrow.” 

“I know Georgie. I’ll get the place ready. Did Ron say he was coming to help us?” I ask looking around for our wayward brother. He was in between school and resuming his Auror training. 

“He, Harry, Hermione, and Ginny are coming to help us in about an hour. I need you to help me get our duplicating charm going on the products we make,” George explains holding up the box of items we’d finished creating. 

“On it.” I turn my attention back to work and start to duplicate the rocket I finished the other day. The next hour I try my best not to keep looking outside seeing Penelope rushing around. I pause for a moment watching her finish her sign out front. A huge cursive sign reads Smiley Pops with the o in pops as a smiley face. I laugh seeing the cute sign in pink and blue that matches the paint job we’d done last week. 

“We are here!” I hear Ginny yell as she comes down from our flat, Harry, Hermione, and Ron following her. All four have floo powder dust on their cheeks. 

“Thanks for coming. We have piles of inventory that needs to be put away,” George announces waving his wand as a mountain of boxes appears. 

“Aww man we just got here,” Ron complains, rubbing the back of his neck. I see his eyes wander out the window and a smile appears. 

“Who is the new candy shop owner?” he asks, pointing to Penelope standing outside hands on her hips looking up at the sign she’d finished. 

“Penelope Jaffee,” I say, flicking my wand at the rockets being duplicated. The boxes we made to put them in start to build themselves and soon I have a production line of rockets going into boxes. 

“Who?” Ron asks and Hermione rolls her eyes. 

“Penelope is Fred and George’s age. She was a Ravenclaw student.” I frown at Hermione, I didn’t know she knew her. 

“How do you know her?” I ask looking up from my work. 

“She is crazy smart, and helped me with some of my studying for my O.W.Ls when I was a fifth year,” Hermione explains picking up a box and opening it. 

“Is she now?” I ask looking back at Penelope standing in the street. 

“If she is so smart why is she opening a candy shop?” Ron demands picking up a box and following Hermione’s example to begin unpacking. 

“It takes a lot of precision to make candies. Fred, do you know what she is selling?” Ginny asks me, she too is starting to unpack boxes, Harry helping her. 

“Chocolate bark and lollipops. She said she was ordering other candies to have in the shop too. It looks like she is getting them now,” I say pointing to a large set of boxes appearing in front of her store. I can see she is surprised by the amount, her body deflates. I am tempted to help her, but I catch George’s eye and he shakes his head. 

“How do you know so much about her?” Harry asks from his spot around the store putting the product up. 

“No reason,” I lie, moving the rockets to a display. 

“Liar, Fred has been spending a lot of time with Penelope Jaffee,” George rats me out as he puts out more of the skiving snack boxes. 

“Are you two dating?” Ron asks looking up from where he was working. 

“No.” I wish we were dating, but after her freak out when we made out I don’t know if she wants to date me. Her story about the hunters almost raping her made me feel bad for her. No person should ever go through that. 

“I’ve been making him help me here,” George explains with a laugh. 

“Why?” Ginny demands glaring at George, she looks so much like our mum I stifle a laugh. 

“Because I need his help here.” 

“But you have us today. Let Fred help Penelope,” Hermione argues, I’ve never liked her more than at this moment. I look at George begging for him to let me go. 

“Fine, but bring her over for lunch with us and her assistant Trista too. If she is important to you then I want to get to know her.” George waves me on, I laugh and clap him on the shoulder. 

“Thanks, Georgie! You are the best twin!” I run out the door before he can change his mind. I head over to her shop dodging the boxes stacked outside her shop. 

“Penny! Where the hell do I put this?” I hear Trista yell from inside the shop. I step to go through the door but a barrier stops me. Standing in the doorway I see a flustered Penelope come out of the back, she has chocolate on her face. 

“Put what?” she asks wiping more chocolate across her face. 

“The sugar quills, do we have a jar for them?” Trista asks holding up blue and pink sugar quills. She smacks her head and frowns. 

“No, I knew I’d forgotten something.” It gives me an idea and I wave my wand calling forth the clear containers George and I had in our storage. We never figured out what to use them for. Setting the box outside her door I knock on the doorframe. Penelope whips around a glare on her face, but when our eyes connect she gives me a massive smile. 

“Fred! Come in.” She waves her wand bringing down the barrier she’d put up. 

“I came to see if I could help.”

“What about you? Your opening is tomorrow?” she asks me and I shrug. 

“We have extra help today. George told me I could come help, but you have to come to lunch, both of you,” I explain looking between Trista and Penelope. 

“Both of us?” Trista asks and I nod. 

“Yes. You are our neighbors, we want to get to know you.” 

“Then we will come.” Penelope turns back to Trista, I see she still has the sugar quills in her arms. 

“Put them to the side for now. I’ll go to the container store later to find something. Can you help me fill the cases?” Penelope points to the piles of chocolate bark and lollipops on the counter waiting to be put in the display cases. 

“I have something that might help,” I pipe up waving my wand to bring in the case of glass jars.

“You do?” Trista asks and I nod setting the box at her feet. She opens the box and pulls out the glass jars. 

“These are perfect, are you sure we can use them?” Trista asks and I nod again. 

“Yes, George and I have no use for them,” I assure her and go over to Penelope. She stares up at me with a sweet smile on her face. I can’t resist so I bend down and kiss her. 

“I missed you,” I whisper for her ears only. I see a blush bloom on her cheeks. 

“I missed you too,” she replies, taking my hand and leading me into the back. I see she has set up her chocolate bark production line and her lollipop center. Before I can say anything she wraps her arms around my neck throwing herself into my arms. I catch her and kiss her passionately pouring my feelings into the kiss. My arms snake around her waist and I push my tongue into her mouth. She lets me in playing with my tongue. I moan softly pulling her close. She is perfect in my arms, plump and curvy. 

“Did I tell you I love your curves?” I say pulling back from the kiss just enough to look into her eyes. 

“You do?” 

“Yes. You are the perfect shape for me.” I squeeze her ass making her squeak. 

“What can I do to help?” I ask looking around the space. 

“Can you help Trista? We are trying to open in two days and the product just arrived today,” she tells me with a guilty expression on her face. 

“Of course I can. I came to help. Let me know if you need me in here.” I give her one more kiss before going to the shop area. 

“Trista, what can I put away?” I ask looking at the hip height crates all over the shop. 

“Can you start on the chocolate frogs?” she asks pointing to a crate with a picture of a chocolate frog on it. I crack the crate open and see the labeled spot on the shelves for the frogs. This time I don’t use my wand to put things away. I want to make sure they look perfect. 

“So you like Penny?” Trista asks me after fifteen minutes of putting away candy. 

“Very much. I felt bad not getting in touch with her more the past few days. George and I have been working hard on putting our shop back together,” I explain opening a crate of licorice wands. 

“Your opening is tomorrow right?” Trista asks me, holding a glass jar for me to put the wands in. 

“Yes, tomorrow at ten we are reopening the shop for the first time since the war ended,” I share putting the wands in the jar. 

“Penelope mentioned taking a break from our work to go over and celebrate with you.” I hide a smile turning my back to pull out the pepper imps. 

“I’ll keep an eye out for you both. Are you okay coming to lunch today?” I felt bad pushing Trista to have lunch with us because I want to date her best friend. 

“Of course I am. I know you two like each other. Just ask her to be your girlfriend already,” she tells me with a smirk. 

“I am working on it,” I reply, setting up the pepper imp display. 

“Good, she deserves to be happy.” Trista turns her back to me and starts to put away more candy. I smile and turn back to my work moving crates around until they are empty. Once empty I magic them away to the dumpster outside. It takes us all morning just to empty the crates inside, not touching anything waiting outside still. 

“Penelope, let’s go to lunch,” I call looking into the back. There she is standing with her wand out as she makes chocolate bark. I can see some lollipops being made as well. 

“Penelope,” I call again, this time catching her attention. 

“All done?” she asks. 

“Just the stuff inside. I will move the crates from outside in and then we need to go to lunch,” I tell her coming over to kiss her cheek. She smells like chocolate. 

“You smell delicious,” I murmur wrapping my arms around her waist pulling her into my chest. She leans back closing her eyes. 

“Thank you for your help. Let me finish this and then we can go to lunch,” she tells me motioning to the melted chocolate in front of her. 

“Can I watch?” I ask, sitting on a stool. She nods and goes back to work. I watch her carefully fill the trays with a thin layer of chocolate before adding any of the mix-ins. This bark looks like the graham cracker and marshmallow one I tried the other day. It takes ten minutes of her working before she is ready to go. 

“All done. I’ll wash my hands and we can go. Can you tell Trista it is time?” she asks me, turning around to face me. I nod and go back out to see Trista sitting and sipping a glass of water. 

“Penelope is washing up then she will be ready to go,” I say and Trista nods at me. 


	11. 11

**PENELOPE POV**

We walk over to Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes following Fred into the dark shop. 

“Oi! Where are you guys!” Fred calls, holding my hand as we walk up to the apartment. I can hear voices chatting when he pushes the door open. 

“About time you all showed up! I am starving,” a tall gangly redhead says. I catch a glimpse of him and see it is Ron. I remember him from when I was still at Hogwarts. 

“Sorry, it is my fault,” I say stepping around Fred. I can see the others are trying to place me until George comes over and hugs me. 

“Penny! How are you?” I chuckle and return the hug. 

“See your brother remembered me.” I poke at Fred releasing George. 

“I get it, I am an idiot.” Fred snags me back from George wrapping his arm possessively around my waist. 

“Hi, I’m Ginny,” Ginny says, coming over to shake my hand. 

“Hi.” 

“I’m Ron.” Ron nods at me from his seat at the bar area. I can see him eyeing the food laid out. 

“I remember you, you are Penny Jaffee, you were in Ravenclaw. I am Hermione,” Hermione says coming over to shake my hand. I remember helping her study in the library from time to time.

“I suppose you know who I am, but I’m Harry.” Harry gives me a smirk with his cheeks blushing. 

“Nice to meet everyone. I’m Penny and this is Trista Eversmyth she was in Ravenclaw with me,” I say motioning Trista out of her hiding space behind Fred and me. 

“Weren’t you the one who hexed Pansy?” Hermione asks Trista, who nods. 

“Why did you do that?” Harry asks motioning for us all to come over to where the food was ready. 

“She went after a couple of first years. I hate bullies,” Trista replies walking further in. I can see George eyeing Trista. She is a beautiful woman with chocolate brown hair and hazel eyes. I know she and Matt aren’t serious, from what she told me they were both dating others but promised not to sleep with anyone else. 

“Good for you. Okay, so since there are a lot of us I got some deli meat and cheese. I figured we can have sandwiches and crisps for lunch,” George announces motioning to the spread. 

“Looks good. Thank you for inviting us,” I say letting Fred walk me over. 

“We wanted to meet the girl that has Fred so distracted from our reopening tomorrow,” George jokes, winking at me. Fred growls and points his finger at George. 

“Stay away from my girl.” I laugh and pat Fred’s cheek. 

“Your girl?” I ask, raising an eyebrow and he blushes. 

“I, uh, um.” I can see him struggling for an explanation for calling me his girl. I kiss his cheek and walk over to the food to make myself a sandwich letting him off the hook. Trista comes behind me and whispers in my ear.

“Nice, making him work for it.” I laugh and put a dab of mayo on my bun before picking turkey, provolone cheese, lettuce, and tomato for my sandwich. I pour a few crisps onto my plate and step off to the side. I wait for Fred to make his sandwich before following him over to the seating area. He settles on the couch and pats the spot next to him. I sit and start to eat watching the others move around us. Trista ends up next to George. Ron and Hermione are together. Harry and Ginny sit together. 

“Penny, what kind of shop are you opening?” Harry asks me as I pop a crisp into my mouth. I chew and answer. 

“Sweetshop. I specialize in chocolate bark and lollipops,” I explain and Fred puts an arm around my shoulder. 

“Her lollipops are the best. We tried a few of them the other day when I had dinner at her place.” 

“Thanks, Fred, I brought a few with me if you all want to try after we finish eating,” I say and everyone nods their agreement. 

“What other candies do you have?” Ron asks me this time and I set my sandwich down knowing I won’t get to take a bite. 

“Pretty much anything you can get at Honeydukes with a few specialty items thrown in for our international travelers.” I shrug waiting for more questions to come. 

“What made you want to be a candymaker? You are a Ravenclaw and on all accounts much smarter than most of us here,” Ron asks motioning to everyone except Hermione. 

“I don’t think that is true, everyone has their strengths. Ravenclaw is known for the brightest, but not the bravest or the savviest around. George and Fred are amazingly smart when it comes to jokes, Hermione is the brightest witch of our age. You and Harry are both extremely brave fighting in the last battle. Trista is crazy good with numbers and money, why do you think I want her as my assistant? I just happen to have a knack for creating sweets, all of us are good at something,” I reply, taking a bite of my sandwich while Ron stares at me with his jaw hanging open. Fred lets out a loud laugh wrapping his arms around my shoulders pulling me close. 

“I hadn’t thought of it like that,” Harry muses from his spot next to Ginny. I shrug and take another bite of my sandwich. With this group, I don’t know when they will ask me another question. 

“Do you need help in your shop?” Ginny asks and I shake my head, swallow my bite, and answer. 

“No. Trista and I have it under control. We open on Wednesday and almost all our products made it to the shop today. Fred has been a godsend helping Trista in the shop area while I work in the back making more chocolate bark and lollipops.”

“Which ones didn’t make it?” Fred asks me. I look up at him and get lost in his hazel eyes for a moment. 

“The Pixie Puffs and the chocolate cauldrons,” Trista answers from her place by George when I didn’t answer. 

“What happened to them?” Hermione asks, setting her plate down, her sandwich gone. 

“Not sure. I haven’t had a chance to get in touch with the vendor who was supposed to send them to me. We’ve been a bit busy. Our shelves were late by a day and that has put us behind,” I explain setting my half-eaten sandwich down. I’ve been trying to control my portion sizes to not gain weight. I’ve always been self-conscious about my weight. Growing up in a world where thin is best always made me feel less than pretty. I feel Fred’s gaze on me but I refuse to look at him knowing the questioning look he will give me. 

“Thank you for inviting us for lunch. Trista and I should get back to the shop. Thank you for letting me borrow Fred.” I stand giving a smile to everyone. Trista stands with me and shoots George a flirtatious look before coming with me. 

“Hang on Penelope,” Fred calls rushing after us. I stop at the bottom of the stairs leading into his shop. 

“You are coming?” I ask, I didn’t want to presume he would come back to the shop with me. He is needed here to help George set everything up for tomorrow. 

“Yes I am coming with you. George has those four to help. It is only you and Trista and you need to work in your kitchen area. I can put products on the shelves while Trista contacts your vendor about the missing products,” he explains, grabbing my hand and leading the way back to my store. 

“Oh, thank you,” I answer unable to think of anything else. His plan helps me get back on track for opening. 

“I am liking you more and more Fred. How often do you think you’ll mosey on over to our place once it is open?” Trista teases him as we walk into the place. 

“I just might come over on my lunch break.” Fred shoots me a wink making me blush. 

“I’ll be in the office if you need me yelling at Ahmad about our shipment.” Trista gave us a wave and went into the office opposite the kitchen area. Fred followed me into the kitchen area as I checked the bark I left to set. 


	12. 12

**FRED POV**

I watch as Penelope lifts the slab of chocolate and drops it so it shatters. I jump, not expecting her to do that. She laughs at me before swishing her wand in the air to bring clear bags over. I watch as she magics them open and starts setting pieces into the bags. Before closing them, she weighs them and writes the weight on each bag with the price. 

“I am impressed,” I say, coming behind her and wrapping my arms around her waist. 

“Thanks. Thank you for lunch today too. It was nice getting to see people again.” I nuzzle her neck, kissing her gently. I hear a sharp intake of breath as she relaxes against me. 

“I wanted to ask you something,” I whisper, kissing her earlobe. 

“You do?” 

“Will you be my girlfriend?” I ask, I know I made a slip up calling her my girl at lunch, but it is true. I think of her as my girl. 

“Yes.” She didn’t hesitate to answer me, making a massive grin spread across my face. I spin her around to face me and kiss her passionately. I make sure not to push the kiss, remembering what happened the last time we made out. She opens her mouth, letting my tongue in. I slide in, tangling my tongue with hers in an erotic dance. 

“Oh. Fuck! Come on, you two!” Trista complains. I release Penelope, looking up to see Trista covering her eyes with one hand. She has the door to the kitchen pushed open with her other. 

“Penelope agreed to be my girlfriend. Get used to it,” I reply, placing another kiss on Penelope’s lips. 

“Good for you two, but keep the make out sessions to a minimum. Penelope I heard about our missing products. They will be here in two days.” I see Penelope frown. 

“We open in two days. Did they say what time Wednesday they would be here?” she asked, waving her wand to send the chocolate bark to a basket. 

“I think first thing in the morning,” Trista answers, looking at the parchment in her hands. 

“I hope they come here quickly. I don’t want to have empty spots on the shelves,” Penelope replies, leaning against the counter. 

“What can I do to help? You have me for the rest of the day,” I say releasing Penelope. 

“I could use your help in here, actually. I need help to chop ingredients, but I won’t keep you if Trista could use more of your help,” she answers, looking at Trista over my shoulder. 

“Keep him in here, I’ll let you know if I need more help.” Trista walks out of the kitchen area and I turn back to Penelope. 

“I am all yours.” I give her a smile and she laughs. 

“Perfect, we are working on my nutty buddy bark. I need hazelnuts, cashews, peanuts, and almonds cut up.” As she says each nut name, they appear on the counter waiting for me. 

“How fine do you want them?” I ask, walking over to my workspace. 

“Small pieces, but not too small we don’t know what kind of nut they are. I would say quarters?” she replies, scrunching her nose up as she thinks. 

“Got it.” I pick up the knife and my wand and let it get to work. I have to pay close attention to the knife, I don’t want it to cut the nuts too small. When I think the first set of nuts is the right size, I turn to see Penelope leaning over the stove, the heat making the hair around her face curl. 

“What are you doing?” I ask softly to not break her concentration. 

“Tempering chocolate. You have to heat chocolate up to the proper temperature, then cool it off so it will be shiny and not dull when it cools.”

“Sounds temperamental,” I remark, getting a snort out of her. 

“It is, are you done with the nuts?” 

“I wanted you to look at the nut size before I continue,” I explain. She nods and turns her head to look over her shoulder at the pile. 

“Those look about the right size. I am going to pour the chocolate in just a minute. Can you get the rest of the nuts chopped?” I can see she is in work mode when her eyes narrow at the chocolate she is stirring without stopping. I know that feeling when you are absorbed in your work, not paying much attention to anything else. I charm the knife into cutting again and watch Penelope. She is fascinating to observe work. Her body sways to a rhythm in her head as she stirs with one hand and holds a thermometer with the other. When she is happy with the chocolate, she pours it out into a pan before waving her wand and the nuts I carefully cut sprinkle into the chocolate. I watch in fascination as she shakes the tray, letting the nuts sink into the chocolate, then sprinkles another layer on top. 

“Now this needs to cool.” 

“Are you making more bark?” I ask when she sets the tray onto a cooling rack. 

“No, I need to switch to lollipops.” 

“How do you make those?” I ask, excited to see her create the lollipops. 

“First, I need to make the hot sugar, we need coloring and flavors. Everything I use is natural. Then once everything is cool, I’ll put the charm on each lollipop to give the eater their sound.”

“How many molds do you use?” I ask, looking around the space to help pull them out for her. 

“Bottom cabinet,” she says, pointing to the cabinet. I pull out ten different molds, each one a unique animal. 

“How many does each batch make?” 

“Usually twenty lollipops. Go into the other cabinets and get the rest. I have twenty of each animal.” I pause at the authority in her voice and see she has turned her back to me as she pulls out sugar and water, putting it in a pan.

“Yes, ma’am. Is there anything I need to do to the molds to keep the candy from sticking?” I ask as I lay out the first shape. This one is a rabbit. 

“Spray down the molds with the nonstick spray. It is in the cabinet above your left hand.” Penelope doesn’t look over her shoulder as she talks to me. I watch her brush down the sides of the pot with a brush. 

“Got it.” I get to work laying out the molds across her counters. 

“How long do the lollipops take to cool?” I ask getting the sticks ready to be placed in the poured melted sugar. 

“About thirty minutes.” I smile and lean against the counter to watch her work. My eyes travel down to stare at her ass. The temptation to wrap my arms around her waist pushed at me, but her standing in front of the stove with boiling sugar stopped me. 

“Fred, can I use your height?” Trista calls, catching my attention. 

“Coming,” I answer, walking back into the main shop area. I can see Trista standing on a ladder but still unable to reach the top shelf. 

“What are you sticking up here, and why not use a spell?” I ask as I walk over to help her. 

“My wand is on the counter,” she answers, pointing to where her willow wand rested. 

“On it.” I bring her wand over to her as she steps off the ladder. 

“I’ll whisk them up to you, but I want you to place them on the marks. I love our magic, but the last touches need to be done by hand,” Trista explains, swishing her wand to send the boxes of candy to fill the space at the top. 

“Are you using this space for storage?” I ask as I put a container of chocolate frogs at the top. 

“Yes, and to not have an empty spot on the shelves. I have put some extra candy out in case our wayward candies do not show up in time on Wednesday. Once this is done, we just need to put the rest in our storeroom,” she explains as I push the last clear box into its spot.

“That is wonderful. Are you off tomorrow, then?” I ask, climbing down from the ladder. 

“Only the afternoon. I am going to help Penny with her candy making, then we will go celebrate your store’s reopening.” With the flick of my wand, I send the boxes into their storeroom looking around the store. Slowly the sun was setting. 

“I should tell Penny I am heading out.” Trista passes me and goes into the kitchen. I follow her to see Penelope standing over the stove, starting another batch of lollipops. I see some cooling on the counter, bright red. 

“Penny, I am heading home,” Trista announces, standing next to Penelope at the stove. 

“Okay, thanks Trista. How does the store look?” Penelope didn’t look up from where she stirs blue molten sugar. 

“All set in case the product doesn’t come in on time.” I watch the two women chat back and forth about finances all while Penelope worked the sugar. It was amazing to see the two work Penelope never faulted at working on the lollipops. Penelope walks over to the mold with the boiling sugar to pour into another set of lollipop molds. 

“See you tomorrow then. I figure we can start at nine and go over to the opening at twelve, then you can be off the rest of the day. I want us both well rested for our opening on Wednesday,” Penelope explains as she places the pot to cool before I assume she would clean it. A third pot appears on the stove and she begins the process again. 

“See you at nine. Have a good night Penny, you too Fred.” Trista waves goodbye and walks out the back door. 

“You don’t have to stay Fred, this cannot be interesting to watch,” Penelope remarks, pouring sugar and water into the pot. 

“I don’t want you here alone with scorching sugar. You could get burned and no one could help you.” She looks over her shoulder at me with a smirk. 

“Fred, you are sweet. Can you pull the red lollipops out of their molds?” I get to work letting a comfortable silence fall between us.


	13. 13

**PENELOPE POV**

Tuesday morning arrives and I awake to the sound of cannons going off. Hurrying to my window, I see Fred and George are starting early with their grand opening. They have a huge banner across the opening of their shop with magical cannons going off every few minutes. Looking at my clock, I see I’ve slept in, not something I’ve done in a long time. Trista will be here in thirty minutes, but I can’t tear my eyes away from Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes. I spy Fred standing out front wearing a pair of purple and orange robes. He certainly sticks out, much more flamboyant than the Fred I’ve seen the past week. 

Walking into my bathroom, I clean up for the day. I will change into something cuter when Trista and I go over after lunch for their grand opening. An owl pecks at my window, I frown but open it, letting in the tawny owl. Attached to his leg is a letter. I take it and let him go before opening it. 

_Penelope,_

_I cannot wait to see you today at the opening. Miss you already._

_~Fred~_

I smile and grab my wand, whispering into it to send a message to Fred.

“I can’t wait to see you too.”

I run over to the window and point my wand at Fred. I watch him stop and jerk in surprise. He looks up at my store and I give him a wave and blow a kiss. He grabs the kiss out of the air and tucks it in his pocket, giving me a wink. I smile again and hurry away from the window to dress for the day and go down, meeting Trista just as she walks into the shop. 

“They are already at it,” Trista complains with a smile on her face. 

“You love it. I have never known Fred and George for being subtle,” I reply, pulling out a broom and cleaning the place up a little. Trista gets her wand out and washes down the windows. 

“I think we are almost ready aside from the missing candy. I want to get a few more chocolate bars and lollipops done.” 

“Do you want my help with the lollipops? I can put the sticks in the molds and pour the melted sugar after you make it.” Trista looks at me over her shoulder as I magic the broom to get to work. 

“I’ll take all the help I can get.” We head into the kitchen and work the morning away. By the time my alarm goes off, I am covered in sweat and not fit to be seen. Trista is the same. 

“Want to shower and change before going over?” I ask as we package the last of the lollipops.

“Yes. I’ll meet you at Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes in thirty minutes,” Trista replies, brushing her hair out of her eyes. I laugh, Trista does not care to be sweaty. It was one reason she usually left me to work in the back while she ran the front. On opening day and for the week following I will try to help at the counter as much as I can. I don’t want her to be swamped. Well, I hope we are busy. If not, I don’t think I can handle the disappointment. 

“Okay, see you in thirty minutes. I’ll wait here for you and we can walk over. The place is crazy busy, so I don’t think I’d be able to find you if we meet inside.” Throughout the morning I could hear the noise of the streets and many people talking about how excited they were that the joke shop had reopened. Diagon Alley is very busy this time of year as the Hogwarts students are getting ready to go back for their first normal school year. 

“Makes sense. Bye Penny.” Trista turns on the spot and disappears. I quickly finish up and get the dishes cleaning before running back upstairs to shower. I change into a light blue sundress and a pair of cute wedge sandals that I rarely get to wear. When I finish, I walk down my stairs to hear a knock on the back door. Frowning I open it expecting Trista to be there waiting for me. Instead, I see Fred standing there, a sheepish smile on his face. 

“Fred?” I say, smiling back at him. He says nothing before stalking into the hallway and pinning me against the wall. His lips find mine in a heated kiss. I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him just as passionately. After a few minutes he lets go of me, my head spinning. I blink up at him. 

“Did you miss me that much?” I tease once I can think again. 

“You have no idea.” Fred places his hands on my hips and kisses me again, this time pushing his tongue in to play with mine. I tangle my tongue, battling for dominance of the kiss. Fred moans into my mouth and I can feel his need for me poking at my stomach. 

“If you two want to continue, I suggest you don’t have sex in the hallway,” Trista drawls making us both pull back. I blush seeing the smirk on her face. Looking up at Fred, I am surprised to see the fire in his eyes. 

“I would ask you upstairs, but we have an opening to get to,” I tell him, placing my hands on his chest. 

“Tonight, we can have dinner later,” he promises, placing a sweet kiss on my cheek. 

“You two coming?” Trista asks, standing with her arms crossed. 

“Yes.” I take Fred’s hand and we walk out the back way, I stop to lock my door. 

“How has the opening been?” I ask as we walk back. Trista walks ahead of us a little, and to my surprise, I notice she is scanning the area outside the shop. George is standing outside setting off the cannon fire again. 

“We haven’t been this busy since we opened the first time. There is barely any room to move. George and I have been outside helping to control the crowds.” I hear the sense of pride in Fred’s voice. 

“That is wonderful.” I squeeze his arm gently with pride for him. When one person does well in the alley, it helps the rest of us, because they draw them in. 

“Welcome!” George calls out when he sees me with Fred. Trista is standing with him with an enormous smile on her face. I cock my head to the side, wondering if Trista has a thing for George. 

“This place looks amazing,” I say, seeing a large group of kids come out chattering about their purchases. 

“We did not expect it to be this crazy,” George remarks with a smile. 

“It is wonderful!” I take my time looking over the shop. They changed little, just redid the paint to make it brighter. 

“Do you have new products?” I ask, leaning into Fred’s side. 

“Yes, we added an international section and more products to the adults-only section,” Fred explains, pulling me into the bustling shop. I am jostled from the side as Fred pulls me through the shop, showing me the new products. He is especially proud of the rockets that were flying off the shelves. I take note that they have the same type of shelves I do in my shop. When a product is taken off, a new one appears in its place. 

“This place is a madhouse,” Trista shouts from behind us. 

“We are thrilled our clientele came back,” George responds. I look over my shoulder to see George holding onto Trista so she doesn’t get pulled away by the crowd. She catches my eye and winks. I shake my head and continue to let Fred show me around his shop. The pride he has in his work makes me proud of him. 

“This is all amazing Fred, you and George have done a wonderful thing here bringing this back. Did you see Madam Malkin is having her grand opening today too?” I ask, pointing to the shop down the alley. She has a sizable crowd around her place too. 

“She and I spoke the other day. It worried her our reopening would hinder hers, but I don’t think it has,” Fred replies wrapping an arm around my waist. We are stopped in the back by the checkout counter. 


	14. 14

**FRED POV**

I am thrilled Penelope made it to my opening. George hasn’t left Trista’s side, and I wonder if they might have something brewing between the two. I remember from asking Penelope out she had a boyfriend. I don’t know if they are serious or not. George hasn’t been serious with anyone since the war. He is sensitive about his missing ear. Standing in the back of the shop, I keep Penelope close to me as we watch people scurry around picking products. 

“Did you want to check anything out?” I ask her after a few minutes. The place is bustling, but I whisk the product to me with my wand. 

“I’ve never been big on playing jokes. Do you have any trick candy?” With a wave of my wand, I have a skiving snack box sent in my direction. I hand it to her and she laughs. 

“I remember hearing about you testing these. Hermione complained a lot about it to me when I helped her study for her O.W.Ls,” Penelope tells me with a chuckle. 

“She did not like us testing them on the first-year students. We did the testing on nights when she was out on duty. Now we have test groups. Oh, look Lee is here,” I remark pointing to my friend from school. Lee sees me and walks over his hair pulled up into a bun at the back of his head kept in his signature tiny braids. 

“Hey Fred, this place is hopping!” Lee shakes my hand and looks down at Penelope plastered at my side. 

“Aren’t you Penny Jaffee?” he asks, and she smirks up at me. I sigh, I feel like a git for not remembering her from school. 

“I am nice to see you again Lee.” Penelope shakes his hand and I sigh. 

“What was that look for?” Lee asks, bouncing his head between the two of us. 

“Fred didn’t remember me from our time together at Hogwarts.” Lee looks at me and laughs, clapping me on the shoulder. 

“She dated Kyle, how could you not remember her?” he asks me and I groan. 

“I get it! I am a git for not remembering Penelope. She has forgiven me and we are dating now,” I announce, catching his attention. 

“Dating? I thought you swore off women after Angelina left you?” he asks and I frown. 

“That was when I was drunk.” I can’t argue with him, because I went on a drinking bender when Angelina broke up with me for one night. I dove back into work and didn’t look back. 

“How did you two connect then?” Lee asks, leaning against the wall next to us. 

“I am opening a sweet shop across the alley,” Penelope answers, motioning toward her shop. 

“Are you the owner of Smiley Pops?” Lee inquires leaning around me to look at her. 

“I am. My best friend Trista Eversmyth is helping me run the place,” she shares, and Lee’s eyes go wide. 

“I saw her with George. Are the two of them dating?” 

“No. She is in a non-exclusive relationship with Matt Bradley.”

“Non-exclusive?” I ask, looking down at my girl. 

“Meaning they are free to date other people but not sleep with them. I am curious if she breaks things off with Matt and goes for George the way the two of them have been looking at each other,” she comments and I nod my agreement. 

“They looked hot and heavy when I passed them on my way in,” Lee remarks, raising his eyebrows with a smile. 

“Oh?” Penelope asks, standing on her tiptoes to find her friend. 

“I saw the two of them over in the adult section. George had his hand resting in her back pocket and they were discussing some of the products. 

“Interesting. I wonder if I will see George over at my shop now that they have a budding relationship?” Penelope has a sweet smile on her lips. I can’t resist and bend down to place a kiss on her lips. 

“When does your shop open?” Lee asks, unperturbed by my display of affection. 

“Tomorrow. We open at ten for our grand opening.” 

“How has the marketing been?” Lee seems interested in her shop. 

“We’ve been advertising in the newspaper and sending our friends and family samples to share with those in their towns. I hope that will be enough to bring them in.” 

“You’ve been a hot topic around the area,” Lee shares. 

“I have?” 

“Yes, so many people at the ministry want to know what kinds of sweets you are selling. It has been ages since many of us have seen a candy shop like Honeydukes. Now you are going to be in Diagon Alley, easy to access. Are you willing to do owl orders?” 

“We will once we have a good idea of what demand is like. I think in a couple of months we can offer delivery service.” I listen as Penelope shares her business plan, proud of everything she has thought out. 

“Impressive.” Lee smiles and wanders off to leave us alone. 

“How long until I can have you alone?” she whispers, her hand slipping around my waist. 

“We close at eight, but I think we can slip away for dinner. Verity will close the shop. George and I will head out in a few. I am sure George could use a break too,” I answer, dropping a kiss to the top of her head. 

“Good. I want to celebrate your success,” she teases me and I laugh. 

“We will only go as far as you are comfortable,” I promise. In the back of my mind, I am remembering her reaction to being pinned underneath me as we made out. Maybe if I let her be on top she would feel more comfortable? I’ll have to test it out.


End file.
